Saturday, February 17, 2007

Food Nazis Strike

As reported in the Chicago Tribune this AM, the foie gras ban law in Chicago was actually enforced:

Chicago's first foie gras bust went down Friday morning at a hot dog joint on the North Side, just as Doug Sohn was about to open for the day.

It could hardly have come as a shock.

Sohn, the owner of Hot Doug's, had been itching for a fight since the City Council overrode the angry veto of Mayor Richard "It's the silliest law ever" Daley. The ordinance took effect Aug. 22.

Sohn was issued a warning several months ago, but he stood his ground. He continued to serve his foie gras-laced hot dogs at his restaurant in the 3300 block of North California Avenue, advertising their ingredients on his Web site and on a board hung boldly near his front door. "I was poking the grizzly bear, and it snapped my head off," Sohn said Friday.

He was slapped with a citation, and his foie gras was sealed as evidence by a Health Department inspector. Sohn faces a fine of $250 to $500 at his March 29 date with a hearing officer, who could set the amount at the higher end if he or she senses a disregard for the law.

On Friday afternoon, Sohn seemed to be considering whether to fight on. He took the duck-liver dogs off the menu and got ready to go on vacation. If anyone wants to reach him, he'll be considering his options over a plate of foie gras in France, where they are surely shaking their heads.

We'll be looking for similar busts in New York (and other locales nation-wide) over the recent trans fat ban.

About Me

Westby G. Fisher, MD, FACC is a board certified internist, cardiologist, and cardiac electrophysiologist (doctor specializing in heart rhythm disorders) practicing at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, IL, USA and is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Medicine. He entered the blog-o-sphere in November, 2005.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this blog are strictly the those of the author(s) and should not be construed as the opinion(s) or policy(ies) of NorthShore University HealthSystem, nor recommendations for your care or anyone else's. Please seek professional guidance instead.